# St. John's United Church of Christ — April 26, 2026 **Theme:** _Pray for Peace – All for God's Children_ > Bulletin cover artwork by Edd Scheer. --- ## Liturgical Context ### Christian Liturgical Calendar - **Season:** Easter - **Week:** Fourth Sunday of Easter - **Lectionary Year (RCL):** Year A - **Narrative Lectionary:** Year 4 – John (NL442) - **Liturgical Color:** White - **Christian Observances:** In the RCL tradition, the Fourth Sunday of Easter is widely known as **Good Shepherd Sunday**, with John 10 as the Gospel and Psalm 23 as the Psalm. The Narrative Lectionary departs from this on April 26 to focus on Paul and Silas in Philippi. ### Jewish Calendar - **Hebrew Date:** 9 Iyar 5786 - **Month:** Iyar (the second month of the biblical year, between Nisan and Sivan) - **Counting of the Omer:** 24th day of the Omer (3 weeks and 3 days) - **Weekly Torah Portion (Parashah):** Acharei-Kedoshim — [[Leviticus 16]] through [[Leviticus 20]] (Holiness Code; "You shall be holy, for I YHWH your God am holy") - **Context:** The period of Sefirat HaOmer continues — the 49 days between Pesach and Shavuot, traditionally a time of semi-mourning interrupted only by Lag BaOmer (May 5, 2026 / 18 Iyar) - **Recent observances:** Yom HaShoah (April 14), Yom HaZikaron (April 22), Yom HaAtzmaut (April 23) ### Ecumenical & Global Observances - Earth Day (April 22) week — many congregations carry observances into the following Sunday - Easter season globally observed across Christian traditions ### Lectionary Readings #### Narrative Lectionary (church's primary preaching schedule) - **Primary text:** [[Acts 16#16]]–[[Acts 16#34]] — Paul and Silas at Philippi - **Accompanying:** [[Luke 6#18]]–[[Luke 6#19]]; [[Luke 6#22]]–[[Luke 6#23]] #### Revised Common Lectionary (parallel reference, Year A — Good Shepherd Sunday) - **First Reading:** [[Acts 2#42]]–[[Acts 2#47]] - **Psalm:** [[Psalm 23]] - **Epistle:** [[1 Peter 2#19]]–[[1 Peter 2#25]] - **Gospel:** [[John 10#1]]–[[John 10#10]] ### Connection to Today's Message The Narrative Lectionary places **Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail** at the heart of the early apostolic mission narrative — witness sustained through unjust suffering, the disruption of an exploitative economic system (the slave-girl's owners profiting from her divination), an earthquake that breaks chains rather than killing the prisoners, and a jailer's household baptism that crosses the line between captor and captive. Paired with **Philippians 1:12-26** (Paul writes from another prison, "what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel"), the day forms a meditation on **freedom under constraint** — the freedom that singing in chains represents, and the freedom Christ offers to those who imprison us. The accompanying **Luke 6** beatitudes — "Blessed are you when people hate you... rejoice in that day and leap for joy" — directly answer Paul and Silas's midnight singing. The Ash Wednesday-into-Easter arc that began February 18 (NL430 Good Shepherd) now opens outward into mission: the risen Christ has commissioned witnesses who will not be silenced even when chained, even when stripped, even when beaten with rods. --- ## Order of Worship > _*Please stand in body or in spirit_ ### Gathering - **Gathering Song** — _"This is the Day"_ - **Unison Welcome** — _"No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here"_ - **Announcements** _(Pastor Caroline, ~33:12)_ - Thanks for **Saturday's Blueberry Bliss Spring Tea** — "a roaring success" — gratitude to those who made it possible (some recovering at home) - **Boy Scout Troop 136** selling discount cards in the lobby after worship as fundraiser - Encouragement to pick up the **May _Spirit_** newsletter for upcoming events - **Passing of the Peace** — _"The peace of Christ be with you" / "And also with you"_ - **Chiming of the Trinity** - **Prelude** — _"Fairest Lord Jesus"_ arr. Barbara Baltzer Kinyon — The Bells of St. John's > Pastor Caroline transitions: "What a beautiful way to begin our worship today as we worship in the name of God, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit. Amen." ### Word — Approaching God - ***Call to Worship** > God of resurrection, we rejoice in your power and presence. **Your love is stronger than any force on earth.** You seek us out and send us forth. **You call us to be your disciples.** When we are frightened, you reassure us. **You break every chain, making a way out of no way.** Help us to walk with you, O God, **and make us instruments of your peace.** Come, let us worship God together! - ***Praise Song** — _"Shout to the Lord"_ — Darlene Zschech - **Call to Confession** > Let us confess our sins before God and one another. - **Prayer of Confession** _(from the UCC Book of Worship)_ > Almighty and merciful God, you created and are creating still. In your presence our limits lie stark before us. We confess our unclean lips, our cold hearts, our turning away from neighbors, our broken promises, and our unrepentant hours. Forgive us, O Holy One. > > We confess that we have squandered the gifts you have given. We have neglected the land. We have grasped for goods. We have used each other. We have loved power more than people. Forgive us, O Holy One. > > Cleanse from us the illusion of innocence. Come into our hearts, and make us new again. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. - **Assurance of Grace** _(from the UCC Book of Worship)_ > In Jesus Christ, God knows and receives us as we are. Listen, give thanks, and live. Amen. - ***Glory Be to the Father #704** ### Word — Hearing God - **Anthem** — _"The Strife is O'er"_ — Henry G. Ley - **Scripture Reading** — Philippians 1:12-26 _(read by **Judy Hodges**, lector, from the **Common English Bible**)_ ![[Philippians 1#12]] ![[Philippians 1#13]] ![[Philippians 1#14]] ![[Philippians 1#15]] ![[Philippians 1#16]] ![[Philippians 1#17]] ![[Philippians 1#18]] ![[Philippians 1#19]] ![[Philippians 1#20]] ![[Philippians 1#21]] ![[Philippians 1#22]] ![[Philippians 1#23]] ![[Philippians 1#24]] ![[Philippians 1#25]] ![[Philippians 1#26]] - **Responsive Reading** — Psalm 34:1-10 _(The Inclusive Bible)_ > I will bless YHWH always; praise will continually be on my lips! **My soul will boast about YHWH — let the oppressed hear it and be glad!** Glorify YHWH with me, and let us exalt God's Name together! **I sought YHWH, who answered me and freed me from all my fears.** Those who look to YHWH are radiant, and their faces are never covered with shame. **The poor called out; YHWH heard and saved them from all their troubles.** The angel of YHWH encamps around those who revere God, and rescues them. **Taste and see how good YHWH is! Happiness comes to those who take refuge in YHWH.** Holy people of God, revere YHWH — for those who stand in awe of God lack nothing. **The young lion may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek YHWH will lack no good thing.** _Bible Linker embed (NRSVue baseline for cross-reference):_ ![[Psalm 34#1]] ![[Psalm 34#2]] ![[Psalm 34#3]] ![[Psalm 34#4]] ![[Psalm 34#5]] ![[Psalm 34#6]] ![[Psalm 34#7]] ![[Psalm 34#8]] ![[Psalm 34#9]] ![[Psalm 34#10]] - **Children's Message** _(Roxanne Davenport, ~53:34)_ > _Children's Corner offered following the Children's Message_ **Roxanne's lesson — "Singing in Jail":** - Asked the kids if anyone likes to sing — **Eleanor** said no, doesn't even sing along with the radio (laughter) - Recapped last week's message: Saul (bad guy) → God changed him → became Paul → went out spreading message about Jesus - Story setup: Paul and his friend Silas were in a town talking about Jesus, **helped someone**, but the officials didn't like it and threw them in jail - Used a **prop jail** with shackles and cuffs — invited kids to imagine being thrown in cold, nasty, damp, dark jail - **Key teaching:** "But you know what they did? They sang." — _"They sang even though they were not happy and didn't know what was going to happen to them."_ - Connected to praise: "We tend to think about God in the good times… but he's there in the bad times too" - **Earthquake reenactment:** invited **Eleanor** to come up and hold the jail door — "the jail door swung open and they could have escaped" - Jailer's near-suicide and Paul's "We're still here" preserved - **Visual climax:** the prop **flipped from jail to a beautiful garden** to symbolize transformation - Key takeaway: "Jesus can save us. Jesus can help us escape and be free of the shackles that hold us." - Closed with prayer thanking God for assurance, comfort, and hope - **Scripture Reading** — Acts 16:16-34 _(read by **Pastor Caroline**, from the **Common English Bible**)_ ![[Acts 16#16]] ![[Acts 16#17]] ![[Acts 16#18]] ![[Acts 16#19]] ![[Acts 16#20]] ![[Acts 16#21]] ![[Acts 16#22]] ![[Acts 16#23]] ![[Acts 16#24]] ![[Acts 16#25]] ![[Acts 16#26]] ![[Acts 16#27]] ![[Acts 16#28]] ![[Acts 16#29]] ![[Acts 16#30]] ![[Acts 16#31]] ![[Acts 16#32]] ![[Acts 16#33]] ![[Acts 16#34]] - **Sermon** — Rev. Caroline E. Saxton > _Opening prayer (~1:03:36 in recording):_ "Spirit of the living God, **fall afresh on us**. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable to you, oh God, **for you are our rock and our redeemer**. Amen." - **Nicene Creed: An Affirmation of Faith** — _Hymnal Companion C-10_ > _(Recited corporately by congregation, beginning ~1:15:23 in the recording)_ ### Response - **Sharing of Joys and Concerns** _(see [Joys & Concerns table](https://claude.ai/chat/63938a8f-9115-4144-8547-46d226136862#joys--concerns-from-todays-service) below for full congregational sharing)_ - **Prayers of the People and the Lord's Prayer (Debts)** _(led by an unnamed congregant in the recording, ~29:00)_ - **Invitation to Giving** _(Pastor Caroline, ~1:30:02)_ > "Giving thanks for the ways that **God breaks every chain** and fulfills our wildest imagination, we offer ourselves and our gifts back to God for the building of the kingdom of heaven on earth. Our offering will now be received." - **Offertory** - ***Offertory Response #706** — _"Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow"_ - ***Prayer of Dedication** _(adapted from Touch Holiness: Resources for Worship)_ > O God, through the offering of these gifts may we become a more open people… open-minded in hearing your Word and wisdom, open-hearted in healing a broken world, open-handed in heeding your call for solidarity and enacted love. With thanks for all good gifts, we present these offerings to you. Amen. ### Sending - ***Hymn #592** — _"How Can I Keep from Singing"_ - ***Commission & Benediction** _(Pastor Caroline, ~1:36:37)_ > "**Your chains are broken, your prison doors are open.** Go forth then with joy to live as one with the God who sends you out. Let the hope that is in you free you daily, that through you the Holy Spirit may free others." > > _(Easter benediction continues:)_ "Thank you, God, for the Easter story. **Christ is risen, love has won.** Death with all its power and fuel cannot defeat what you have begun. Thank you, God, that there is nothing stronger than the love you give. We rejoice in new worlds coming. **In our Christ, we live.**" - **Postlude** _(seated)_ --- ## Scripture and Sermon ### Primary Preaching Text — Acts 16:16-34 (NL442) #### Narrative arc The passage breaks naturally into four scenes: 1. **The slave-girl with the spirit of divination** ([[Acts 16#16]]–[[Acts 16#18]]) — Paul and Silas encounter a young woman whose owners profit from her oracular speech. She follows the apostles for many days announcing them. Paul, "much annoyed" (Greek _diaponētheis_ — grieved, distressed), commands the spirit to come out. 2. **The economic disruption and arrest** ([[Acts 16#19]]–[[Acts 16#24]]) — Her owners, "seeing that their hope of profit was gone," drag Paul and Silas to the marketplace authorities. The charge layered with anti-Jewish prejudice ("These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews"). Stripped, beaten with rods, jailed in the inner cell, feet fastened in stocks. 3. **The midnight singing and the earthquake** ([[Acts 16#25]]–[[Acts 16#28]]) — At midnight, Paul and Silas are praying and singing hymns; the prisoners are listening. An earthquake shakes the foundations, doors open, chains unfasten. The jailer wakes, draws his sword to kill himself, but Paul calls out: "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." 4. **The jailer's conversion and household baptism** ([[Acts 16#29]]–[[Acts 16#34]]) — The jailer falls trembling before Paul and Silas, asks "What must I do to be saved?" They speak the word to him and his household; he washes their wounds; he and his entire household are baptized at that hour of the night; he sets food before them and rejoices. #### Notable interpretive cruxes - **The slave-girl's status after exorcism** — the text does not tell us. Paul's act frees her from spiritual captivity but leaves her economic captivity (still enslaved to the same owners) unchanged. Liberationist readers note this gap; pastoral readers ask what discipleship would have looked like for her. - **"Keep your hands off yourself"** — Paul stops the jailer's suicide. In a Roman shame-honor culture, a jailer who lost prisoners faced execution; his suicide would preempt that. Paul's intervention is bodily, present, and addressed to a man who would otherwise be his enemy. - **Household baptism** — _oikos_ baptism patterns appear throughout Acts ([[Acts 10]] Cornelius, [[Acts 16]] Lydia and the jailer, [[Acts 18]] Crispus). The Reformed and UCC tradition reads these texts as foundational for the practice of infant baptism. - **Singing in chains** — picked up later by Christian tradition (the persecuted church, the Black church, prison ministries) as the paradigmatic image of worship that cannot be silenced by power. ### Sermon Notes #### Introduction — _Spirituals as Lens_ Pastor Caroline opens with personal testimony grounding the sermon in the Black sacred music tradition: - When her family moved to **Grinnell [Iowa] in 2000**, her mother began singing in the community chorus (later renamed the **Oratorio Society**) - Through that group, her mother connected with **Randy Jones** — music educator and librarian **at Grinnell College** — who has spent decades compiling recordings and arrangements of Negro spirituals and **published a book on the subject in 2023** - "These songs speak to us, not just historically, but now — as we seek to sustain and survive in the midst of danger, despair, and disillusionment" - Personal regret: not having gone to see **Sweet Honey in the Rock** (the legendary Black women's a cappella ensemble that regularly performs spirituals) - In preparing for this sermon, she listened to several Sweet Honey favorites: - _"Wade in the Water"_ - _"Run"_ - _**"Eyes on the Prize"**_ — listened to especially because **it draws on the story of Paul and Silas in Acts 16, where they find themselves on the wrong side of the ruling powers in Philippi** Caroline quoted **verse 1** of _Eyes on the Prize_ directly: > "Paul and Silas bound in jail had no money for to go their bail. **Keep your eyes on the prize. Hold on.**" Historical note she shares: _"Eyes on the Prize"_ is a permutation of the older spiritual _"Keep Your Hand on the Plow. Hold on"_ — became influential during the **civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s**, recorded by artists including **Mavis Staples, Odetta, and Pete Seeger**. > **Thesis statement:** "There is power in singing. There is power in storytelling. **Spirituals do both.** We find ways to be set free. **Hold on.**" #### Sermon Structure — _Caroline's Outline of Acts 16:16-34_ She names the four narrative scenes available to a preacher: 1. The encounter between Paul and the **enslaved woman** in the marketplace 2. The **mob attack** hyped up by the slave owners 3. The **imprisonment** of Paul and Silas — and their dramatic worship 4. The **conversion of the jailer and his family** She acknowledges a sermon could be focused on the slave-girl encounter — and flags the troubling textual feature with a sharp formulation: > "How it is **Paul's annoyance rather than his compassion** that leads to the exorcism of that spirit… how **she is no longer possessed yet remains a possession**." But today's focus is **Paul and Silas's response to being imprisoned** — _"how in the midst of suffering and abuse, they witness to their faith and offer God their praise."_ ##### Point 1: God Does Not Desire Suffering — But God Is Present In It > "It is important to say that **God does not desire suffering. God does desire faithfulness.**" The opening theological clarification — laying ground for the rest of the sermon's pastoral architecture. Note Caroline's careful pairing: the negation (_not_ suffering) is immediately followed by the affirmation (faithfulness) — so the framing is not just about what God doesn't want but about what God _does_ call us to. ##### Point 2: Paul and Silas Choose the Oppressed Side - They could have _easily avoided_ jail time — **they were Roman citizens**, part of the ruling majority rather than the oppressed minority - Yet they don't deny they're causing trouble; they proclaim a faith **counter to the Roman customs** - "They remain true to the conviction of **following Christ rather than following Caesar**" - The slave-girl's owners make an **economic, cultural, and religious argument** against them - _"It's bad enough that they've messed with their money, but Paul and Silas aren't like us and could lead others astray."_ - The crowd is amped up; the city's rulers authorize that they be **stripped and beaten** - Such punishments were **public and painful, often brutal** ##### Point 3: Historical Parallels — From Birmingham to Standing Rock This is the prophetic-justice center of the sermon. Caroline draws explicit lines from Paul and Silas to: - **Fire hoses turned on civil rights demonstrators in the 1960s** - **Dogs set loose on water protectors at Standing Rock Reservation** - **Tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets** in more modern day - _"Challenges to the status quo are often met with brute force imposed by the state — and even ordinary people with a **mob mentality**."_ The temptation, she names: _to argue, to deflect criticism or blame, to "**pull the Roman citizen card** and quite literally get out of jail free."_ But Paul and Silas accept their punishment, don't try to evade arrest or escape — they **trust that "trouble won't last always"**: > _"God helps us to be set free. **Hold on.** Paul and Silas began to shout and doors popped open and all walked out. Keep your eyes on the prize. Hold on."_ ##### Point 4: The Earthquake as Easter Resonance - Paul and Silas pray and sing; the other prisoners listen — even if in midnight darkness they cannot see - Then the violent earthquake — **only the prison appears affected**, the rest of the city unharmed - _"Kind of like the earthquake in [[Matthew 28#2]] — the one that rolls away the stone from the tomb. It feels like God is intervening in dramatic fashion."_ - This time in prison **is not the end of their story or their ministry** - Paul and Silas have been singing not only as comfort but **as witness** — connecting to Jesus's first sermon in [[Luke 4]]: "to set the captives free" - The doors are open and **the chains that bound everyone come loose** — "Everyone could leave, **not just Paul and Silas**" ##### Point 5: Paul Plays the Hero — But Not in the Expected Way - The jailer thinks there's been a mass jailbreak; he draws his sword to die by suicide rather than face the shame and punishment for failing his duty - Paul shouts: _"Don't harm yourself. We're all here."_ - "Paul doesn't allow the jailer to be harmed or hurt — not by himself or by anyone else" - The text doesn't say _why_ the prisoners didn't flee. Caroline offers possibilities: - Stunned by the aftermath of the earthquake - Dark — hard to navigate when you can't see five feet in front of you - Maybe the prisoners paused to **pray, to give thanks, inspired by Paul and Silas's example** - Whatever the reason, no one had left — present and accounted for - The jailer realizes Paul and Silas were **not what their accusers said they were** - He becomes faithful; **his entire household is baptized** ##### Point 6: The Real Point Isn't the Prison > "Paul and Silas's rescue **isn't necessarily the point of the story** — because they are messengers of divine grace. We learn to love our neighbors and our enemies, **even those who would hold us captive**." > _"Here in Acts 16, there is transformation. As the song goes, well — **the only chains we can stand are the chains of hand in hand**. Keep your eyes on the prize. Hold on. We walk with each other in our hands and our hearts and our lives. God helps us to be set free. Hold on."_ > _"**Got my hand on the freedom plow. Wouldn't take nothing for my journey now. Keep your eyes on the prize. Hold on.**"_ #### Conclusion — _Witness, Hope, Invitation_ > "**The spirituals remind us not only of the power of God, but how we are to live in the midst of trial and turmoil.** Paul and Silas maintain the courage of their convictions, their life of faith — and in doing so, they impact others in profound and powerful ways." > "God is at work in our world through us. **We are Christ's body. We are his hands and his feet.** We discover what it means to rejoice at all times and in all circumstances. **God does not cause the suffering. God is present with us in the suffering** — and we are sustained in hope. We are offered grace. We witness to the love and light of Christ — and we can invite and inspire others." > "So **hold on to God who breaks every chain** and sets us free from all that would hold us captive. May we listen for how God is speaking, paying attention to the movement of the Holy Spirit, as we follow Jesus as his disciples — loving God and loving our neighbors. **May we be set free. Amen.**" #### Illustrations / Stories |#|Illustration|Function in sermon| |---|---|---| |1|Caroline's mother joining the Oratorio Society in 2005 → meeting Randy Jones the spirituals arranger|Personal entry into the spirituals tradition; legitimizes white UCC pastor invoking Black sacred music| |2|Sweet Honey in the Rock and the songs _Wade in the Water_, _Run_, _Eyes on the Prize_|Sonic and historical bridge between Acts 16 and the present| |3|_Eyes on the Prize_ / _Keep Your Hand on the Plow_ lineage and lyric quotation|Direct intertext with Paul and Silas; the refrain "Hold on" structures the entire sermon| |4|Civil rights demonstrators / Birmingham (implied — dogs in "the city")|Paul and Silas's beating made contemporary| |5|Standing Rock water protectors and dogs|Indigenous resistance as continuation of the same pattern| |6|Tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets|Modern police repression of protest| |7|The earthquake in Matthew 28:2 (rolling away the stone)|Easter-season resonance; the prison earthquake is paschal| |8|Jesus's first sermon in Luke 4 (set the captives free)|The captivity-and-release motif as Lukan-Acts thematic spine| #### Scripture Connections - [[Acts 16#16]]–[[Acts 16#34]] — primary text - [[Luke 4#18]]–[[Luke 4#19]] — Jesus's first sermon, "to proclaim release to the captives" — the framework for Paul and Silas's worship in chains - [[Matthew 28#2]] — the resurrection earthquake; the jail earthquake is its echo - _Implied:_ the broader Lukan-Acts theme of liberation, beginning in Mary's Magnificat ([[Luke 1#52]]–[[Luke 1#53]]) #### Key Quotes > "**There is power in singing. There is power in storytelling. Spirituals do both.** We find ways to be set free. **Hold on.**" > "Paul and Silas could have easily avoided jail time. **They were Roman citizens** — part of the ruling majority rather than the oppressed minority. Yet they don't deny that they're causing trouble, proclaiming a faith that is counter to the Roman customs. They remain true to the conviction of **following Christ rather than following Caesar**." > "Trouble won't last always. **God helps us to be set free. Hold on.**" > "It feels like **God is intervening in dramatic fashion** — kind of like the earthquake in Matthew 28:2, the one that rolls away the stone from the tomb." > "The doors are not only opened, but the chains that bound everyone are loose. **Everyone could leave, not just Paul and Silas.**" > "**Don't harm yourself. We are all here.** Paul doesn't allow the jailer to be harmed or hurt — not by himself or by anyone else." > "We learn to love our neighbors and our enemies — **even those who would hold us captive**." > "**The only chains we can stand are the chains of hand in hand.** Keep your eyes on the prize. Hold on." > "**Got my hand on the freedom plow. Wouldn't take nothing for my journey now.** Keep your eyes on the prize. Hold on." > "**God does not cause the suffering. God is present with us in the suffering.**" > "**We are Christ's body. We are his hands and his feet.**" > "**Hold on to God who breaks every chain** and sets us free from all that would hold us captive." > "**May we be set free. Amen.**" ### Personal Reflections #### What spoke to me #### Questions raised #### Challenges / Convictions #### Liturgical Context Reflections > Caroline grounded today's prophetic preaching in the **Black sacred music tradition** (Sweet Honey in the Rock, the spirituals, _Eyes on the Prize_ / _Keep Your Hand on the Plow_) — directly tying Acts 16's prison singing to the singing of enslaved people, civil rights demonstrators, and Standing Rock water protectors. This is a notable theological move in a UCC context: it refuses to spiritualize Paul and Silas's chains, reading them instead in the lineage of those who have actually been chained for witness. The Easter season's "alleluia" register does not become triumphalism; instead, the resurrection is heard in the spirituals' insistence that "trouble won't last always." > > The pairing with **"Shout to the Lord"** (Darlene Zschech, Hillsong-origin) earlier in the service creates an interesting study in worship-music sources: a globally-circulated contemporary praise song from a now-controversial production house, alongside hymns and spirituals rooted in much older communal struggle. For ongoing worship-music vetting research, today's service is a good case study of how multiple traditions can sit in the same hour without explicit comment from the pulpit. ### Applications #### This week I will #### People to pray for #### Follow-up study > Possible threads: > > - The economic critique embedded in [[Acts 16#19]] — how Acts treats commerce that depends on human exploitation > - The jailer's question "What must I do to be saved?" in conversation with NAR/evangelical sinner's-prayer formulations vs. Reformed/UCC covenantal-ecclesial framings > - Household baptism patterns across [[Acts 10]], [[Acts 16]], and [[Acts 18]] for sacramental theology reference > - The hymn _How Can I Keep from Singing_ (Robert Lowry, 1869) as the day's perfect closing — its history in Quaker and labor movement use > - Cross-reference to [[Philippians 1#12]]–[[Philippians 1#26]] (today's Epistle): Paul writes from prison about prison, so the lectionary frames Acts 16 with Paul's own retrospective voice ### Sermon Analysis (13-Category Rubric, 65-Point Scale) #### 1. Sermon Summary - **Central Message:** God is present _in_ suffering rather than the cause of it; faithful witness — like Paul and Silas's midnight singing — is itself liberating, both for the witness and for those who overhear. - **Liturgical/Thematic Focus:** Strongly integrated with NL442 (Acts 16:16-34) and the Easter season. The earthquake-as-paschal-resonance link to Matthew 28:2 is liturgically apt; the connection to Jesus's Luke 4 inaugural sermon ("set the captives free") arcs back to Epiphany / Lent's foundational Christology. - **Score: 5/5** #### 2. Preaching Style Assessment - **Primary style:** Narrative + Prophetic - **Secondary:** Topical (focused on faithful witness in suffering); brief Textual (working with the four scenes of Acts 16:16-34) - **Blend assessment:** Well-suited to a UCC progressive context with NAR-deconstructing and AoG-background congregants. The narrative anchor in Acts protects against pure topical preaching; the prophetic register protects against quietist pietism. - **Score: 5/5** #### 3. Storytelling and Illustration - Sweet Honey in the Rock, Randy Jones, the spirituals tradition (8 distinct illustrations cataloged above) - **Inclusivity:** Strong — Black sacred music tradition centered without appropriation; Indigenous water protectors named; civil rights memory invoked - **Diverse voices represented:** Black women's musical tradition (Sweet Honey), Indigenous protest (Standing Rock), historic Black church through spirituals - **Balance:** Well-balanced — illustrations serve the text rather than displace it - **Score: 5/5** #### 4. Intonation and Delivery - Repetition of "Hold on" / "Keep your eyes on the prize" as cadenced refrain throughout - Singing/quoting lyrics inside the sermon — a kind of liturgical performance - Personal opening (her mother) creates warmth and entry-point - _Note: Full delivery assessment requires the audio/video recording; transcript suggests strong rhythm and use of refrain_ - **Score: 4/5** #### 5. Content Structure - **Clear introduction:** Personal testimony → Sweet Honey → "Eyes on the Prize" → thesis - **Body:** Names the 4 narrative scenes, focuses on Paul and Silas, builds through 6 sub-points - **Conclusion:** Returns to "hold on," widens to congregational application, ends with prayer-like benediction - **Transitions:** Generally smooth; one or two elliptical moments (likely transcript fragmentation rather than delivery gaps) - **Score: 4/5** #### 6. Engagement and Application - "We" framing throughout invites congregational identification with Paul and Silas - Marginalized groups _explicitly_ included: enslaved people, civil rights demonstrators, Indigenous water protectors - Application: maintain courage of conviction, be Christ's hands and feet, listen for the Spirit - Could include more concrete practice / next-step invitations, but the inclusive framing serves the diverse congregation - **Score: 4/5** #### 7. Scripture Handling - Acts 16:16-34 broken into 4 scenes; deep dive on scenes 3 & 4 - Cross-references handled responsibly: Luke 4 (Jesus's inaugural sermon) and Matthew 28:2 (resurrection earthquake) are well-warranted - The CEB ("Common English Bible") translation chosen for both Philippians 1 and Acts 16 — modern, accessible, justice-aware translation choice - **Sharp hermeneutical formulation:** _"She is no longer possessed yet remains a possession"_ — this is exegetically aware writing, naming the textual gap without resolving it falsely - The Christ-vs.-Caesar binary explicitly named (rare in lectionary preaching) - Does not engage Greek lexicon explicitly (e.g., _diaponētheis_ for Paul's "annoyance," which would deepen Caroline's own observation about annoyance vs. compassion) - Justice-aware reading throughout - **Score: 5/5** _(upgraded from 4 — the slave-girl formulation alone is a 5-point hermeneutical move)_ #### 8. Logical Reasoning - **Strong reasoning observed:** - _Cause-effect:_ Paul's exorcism → owners' loss of profit → mob action → arrest (cleanly traced) - _Inductive multiple-explanations move:_ Why didn't the prisoners flee? Caroline offers three plausible accounts rather than one dogmatic one — good homiletical humility - _Counter-argument anticipated:_ "Wouldn't we be tempted to argue, deflect, hold the Roman citizen card?" → answers it with Paul and Silas's choice - **Fallacies watched for:** None evident - _Watch-for in future sermons:_ The historical parallels (Birmingham, Standing Rock) are powerful but framed as analogy without explicit warrant. This is normal homiletical move, not fallacious — but in a congregation that includes politically diverse listeners, naming the warrant ("the same logic of state-protected economic interest meeting peaceful witness") would strengthen rather than weaken the move - **Score: 4/5** #### 9. References - **Scholars/theologians explicitly cited:** None named (no Brueggemann, no Wright, no Gonzalez, no Bonhoeffer) - **Marginalized voices integrated through cultural artifacts:** - Sweet Honey in the Rock (Black women's a cappella ensemble, Bernice Johnson Reagon's founding tradition) - **Mavis Staples, Odetta, Pete Seeger** (canonical Civil Rights musicians who recorded _Eyes on the Prize_) - **Randy Jones** (named living arranger of spirituals at Grinnell College, published 2023) - The spirituals themselves as theological texts (_Eyes on the Prize_, _Keep Your Hand on the Plow_, _Wade in the Water_, _Run_) - Standing Rock movement (Indigenous resistance) - **Historical/cultural references:** Civil rights movement of 1950s-60s, fire hoses on demonstrators, Standing Rock - A more explicitly named theological voice (Howard Thurman's _Jesus and the Disinherited_; James Cone's _Spirituals and the Blues_; Albert Raboteau's _Slave Religion_) could deepen but isn't required - **Score: 4/5** #### 10. Quotes and Illustrative Stories - _Eyes on the Prize_ lyric quotation - The structuring refrain "Hold on / Keep your eyes on the prize" - Memorable original formulations: "We are Christ's body. We are his hands and his feet." | "God is not the cause of the suffering. God is present with us in the suffering." - All quotes/stories tightly tied to the text and to the congregation's lived experience - **Score: 5/5** #### 11. Calls to Action - "Hold on to God" - "Follow Jesus as His disciples" - "Loving God and loving our neighbors" - Be Christ's "hands and feet" - "Listen for how God is speaking, paying attention to the movement of the Holy Spirit" - These are formative/dispositional rather than concrete/programmatic. Strong on personal/communal axes; lighter on systemic — though the prophetic illustrations carry implicit systemic weight - **Score: 4/5** #### 12. Style Effectiveness Analysis - The narrative-prophetic blend is **well-suited** to: - **Acts 16** as a story (narrative form fits the source genre) - **The UCC Open & Affirming context** (prophetic register is congruent with the congregation's covenant) - **The Easter season** (resurrection register requires hope without triviality, which the spirituals tradition provides) - **The mixed congregation** (NAR-deconstructing folks find the spirituals tradition accessible without the high-control overlay; AoG-background folks recognize the affective register; lifelong UCC folks find the justice-prophetic move familiar) - **Learning styles served:** Auditory (refrain repetition, song quotation), interpersonal ("we" framing, family dynamics in the joys/concerns flow), intrapersonal (personal mother-anecdote opening) - **Score: 5/5** #### 13. Side-by-Side Comparison: Narrative-Prophetic vs. Fully Exegetical |Aspect|This Sermon (Narrative-Prophetic)|Hypothetical Fully Exegetical Version| |---|---|---| |Primary Style|Narrative + Prophetic with spirituals as connective tissue|Verse-by-verse exposition of Acts 16:16-34| |Stories|Sweet Honey, Randy Jones, civil rights, Standing Rock|Limited; perhaps Lydia (Acts 16:11-15) or Eutychus (Acts 20) for context| |Scripture Depth|Cross-textual (Luke 4, Matthew 28); acknowledges textual gaps (slave-girl)|Greek word-study on _diaponētheis_ (annoyance); textual variants in Acts 16:25; Roman-law analysis of citizenship and beating-without-trial; _oikos_ baptism patterns| |Application|Be Christ's body; hold on; listen for the Spirit|Specific ecclesiological claims about household baptism; specific theological claims about freedom in chains| |Strengths|Connects to lived Black sacred music tradition; opens space for personal/communal hope; prophetic register for justice|Provides handles for further study; demonstrates exegetical method; equips congregation with interpretive tools| |Risks|Could feel like the text is the launchpad rather than the foundation; some hearers may want more from the verses themselves|Could feel academic, distant, or detached from the congregation's spiritual life; could miss the song-and-witness theme that the text itself foregrounds| |Verdict for THIS Sunday|**Right choice.** Easter-season prophetic preaching in a politically tense moment benefits from the affective and tradition-rooted register|Would be better-suited to a Bible study session, mid-week class, or a sermon series treating Acts 16 over multiple Sundays| - **Score: 4/5** #### Scoring Summary |#|Category|Score| |---|---|--:| |1|Sermon Summary|5| |2|Preaching Style Assessment|5| |3|Storytelling and Illustration|5| |4|Intonation and Delivery|4| |5|Content Structure|4| |6|Engagement and Application|4| |7|Scripture Handling|5| |8|Logical Reasoning|4| |9|References|4| |10|Quotes and Illustrative Stories|5| |11|Calls to Action|4| |12|Style Effectiveness Analysis|5| |13|Side-by-Side Comparison|4| |**Total**||**58/65**| #### Hermeneutical Audit - **Historical situatedness honored:** Caroline situates the spirituals tradition in its actual historical conditions (slavery, civil rights, contemporary protest) rather than spiritualizing them - **No false universalization observed:** She doesn't claim the spirituals are "everyone's" tradition; she enters them carefully through her mother's connection at Grinnell - **Naturalized assumptions checked:** The framing of God as "not the cause of suffering" pre-empts the theodicy assumption that often functions invisibly in suffering-oriented sermons; her positive complement ("God does desire faithfulness") refuses to leave the framing merely apophatic - **Power-analysis present:** Names the economic interest of the slave-owners; names state violence against protestors past and present; names the **Christ vs. Caesar** binary explicitly - **No evident "lateral transfer" risk** (i.e., no smuggling-in of high-control epistemological frames under progressive content) — this is preaching in a recognizably mainline-progressive register - **Hermeneutical genealogy:** The sermon makes visible _how_ the spirituals tradition reads Acts 16; it doesn't claim a timeless interpretation but locates one specific interpretive tradition (Black sacred music) as a lens - **One especially sharp formulation worth noting:** Caroline's flag on the slave-girl scene — _"she is no longer possessed yet remains a possession"_ — is exactly the kind of dense, hermeneutically aware sentence that makes a textual gap visible without resolving it. This is the kind of move that protects against both naïve liberationist over-reading (claiming the text frees her) and conservative under-reading (claiming the spiritual freedom is the whole story) - **Areas for future sharpening:** The slave-girl gap is now flagged twice in two consecutive sermon passes — strong candidate for a future standalone sermon on Acts 16:16-18. Engage Mitzi Smith's womanist reading; also consider Justo González's _Acts: The Gospel of the Spirit_ (Maryknoll) on the Pythia exorcism's ambiguous outcome #### Logical Reasoning Audit - **No fallacies identified.** - **Strongest reasoning move:** The inductive multiple-explanations approach to "why did the prisoners not flee?" — modeling intellectual humility before scripture - **Watchpoint for future:** When drawing historical parallels (Birmingham, Standing Rock), explicitly naming the structural common term ("the alliance of economic interest with state coercion to suppress witness against the dominant order") would inoculate against the charge that the parallels are merely emotional --- ## Hymns ### Hymn #592 — "How Can I Keep from Singing" - **Words:** Robert Lowry, 1869 - **Music:** Robert Lowry, 1869 - **Tune:** ENDLESS SONG - **Meter:** 8.7.8.7 D - **Topical category:** Testimony - **Status:** Public domain (1869) > 1. My life flows on in endless song; above earth's lamentation, I hear the sweet, though far-off hymn that hails the new creation. Through all the tumult and the strife, I hear the music ringing; it finds an echo in my soul — how can I keep from singing? > > 2. What though my joys and comforts die? My Savior still is living. What though the shadows gather 'round? A new song Christ is giving. No storm can shake my inmost calm, while to that Rock I'm clinging; since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing? > > 3. I lift my eyes; the cloud grows thin; I see the blue above it; and day by day this pathway smooths, since first I learned to love it. The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart, a fountain ever springing; all things are mine since I am His — how can I keep from singing? > > [!note] Pastoral note Robert Lowry was a Baptist minister and prolific 19th-century hymn writer (also wrote "Shall We Gather at the River" and the music for "Marching to Zion"). The Quaker singer Doris Plenn added a stanza in the McCarthy era ("When tyrants tremble, sick with fear / and hear their death-knell ringing…") that does not appear in the NCH version but became famous through Pete Seeger's recording. Worth noting in conversation with the Acts 16 prison-singing theme. ### Hymn #704 — "Glory Be to the Father" (Gloria Patri) - **Source:** Ancient (4th-century doxology) - **Tune:** Various (most commonly GREATOREX or MEINEKE) - **Status:** Public domain - **Standard text:** > Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen. ### Hymn #706 — "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow" (Doxology) - **Words:** Thomas Ken, 1674 (final stanza of "Awake, My Soul, and with the Sun") - **Music:** Louis Bourgeois, 1551, _Genevan Psalter_ - **Tune:** OLD HUNDREDTH - **Meter:** L.M. (8.8.8.8) - **Status:** Public domain - **Standard text:** > Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise God all creatures here below; praise God above ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. --- ## Worship Leadership |Role|Person| |---|---| |Pastor|Rev. Caroline E. Saxton| |Organist|Barbara Motichka| |Choir Director|Gary Crum| |Deacon in Charge|Kara Alt| |Lector|Judy Hodges| |Children's Corner|Roxanne Davenport| |Media Coordinators|Calvin Frantz and Neath Ham| |Bulletin cover|Edd Scheer| ### Birthdays this week - **04/30** — Ruth Bard - **04/30** — Heather Rensch - **05/01** — Daryl Nutter ### Flowers at the Foot of the Cross Given in honor of **Alahna Hodges' 13th birthday**. ### Nursery & Children's Spaces The "Nursery Nook in the Narthex" quiet area and infant/toddler space in the Parlor are available for children and families to use during worship. Age-appropriate activity bags are also available. See the deacon for assistance. --- ## Vision & Mission ### St. John's Vision > We are called to love, to learn, to worship and to witness in Christ as a congregation that welcomes everyone, and seeks service that will advance God's realm on earth. ### St. John's Mission > To grow in love of God and neighbor. --- ## Worship Resources Used - _Prayer of Confession_ adapted from **Prayers and Readings for Worship, Volume 2**, Peter Judd, editor. - _Assurance of Grace_ and _Prayer of Dedication_ (adapted) from **Touch Holiness: Resources for Worship**, edited by Ruth C. Duck and Maren C. Tirabassi. - Psalm 34 from **The Inclusive Bible: The First Egalitarian Translation**. - _Nicene Creed: An Affirmation of Faith_ from **Hymnal Companion C-10**. --- ## Church Staff |Role|Person|Contact| |---|---|---| |Pastor|Rev. Caroline E. Saxton|[email protected] · (641) 260-1868 (cell)| |Office Administrator|Tonya Schwartz|[email protected] · (717) 263-8593 (office)| |Music Director|Gary Crum|—| |Organist|Barbara Motichka|—| |Director of Children & Youth|Roxanne Davenport|—| |Pastor Emeritus|The Rev. Stephen W. Hoffman|—| --- ## This Week at St. John's ### Sunday, April 26 (TODAY) - **Support our Scouts!** — Members of Boy Scout Troop 136 will be selling discount camp cards after worship. Cards are $5 and help support the scouting program. - **8:00 pm** — Bible Study on the Letter of James, **Chapter 1**, via Zoom (link in Friday e-blast) ### Monday, April 27 - **10:45 am** — Piano Tuning, Fellowship Hall - **1:30 pm** — Monday Afternoon Book Study — Conference Room 111 (Chapter 9 of Wirzba's _Love's Braided Dance_) - **7:00 pm** — Boy Scouts, Fellowship Hall ### Tuesday, April 28 - **5:30 pm** — Yoga, Room 202 - **6:00 pm** — Ladies' Bible Study, Zoom - **6:30 pm** — Cub Scouts, Fellowship Hall (then break into smaller groups) ### Thursday, April 30 - **6:00 pm** — Dance Class, Fellowship Hall - **6:00 pm** — Bell Choir Practice, Bell Room 117 - **7:15 pm** — Choir Rehearsal, Choir Room 103 ### Friday, May 1 - **Church Office is Closed** ### Saturday, May 2 - **9:00 am** — Camp Clean Up, St. John's Camp ### Sunday, May 3 - **8:45 am** — Sunday Morning Caffeine Church School Class — Parlor Room 104 - **8:45 am** — Godly Play Class — Room 119 - **8:45 am** — SPARK! Elementary Church School Class — Room 115 - **8:45 am** — Teen Discussion Class — Room 206 - **8:45 am** — Wired Word Church School Class — Room 116 - **8:45 am** — Upper Room Church School Class — Conference Room 111 - **10:00 am** — Sunday Worship — Sanctuary - **11:15 am** — New Members/Inquirer's Class — Conference Room 111 - **8:00 pm** — Bible Study on the Letter of James, **Chapter 2** (link in Friday e-blast) --- ## News in the Pews ### Standing Items - **New Members/Inquirers Class** — Pastor Caroline will hold a class after worship on Sunday, May 3 for those who have recently joined as members or who are exploring membership at St. John's UCC. Grab a snack and join the conversation in Conference Room 111. - **Sunday Night Bible Study** — Join Pastor Caroline on Sunday evenings at **8 pm via Zoom** for a Bible study on the Letter of James. Today's session (April 26) focuses on **Chapter 1**. Zoom Meeting ID: 836 0593 5961, Passcode 277938. Hyperlink in the weekly e-blast. - **Bible and a Beer** — Talk about our faith in public. Third Monday of the month at the Trojan Diner, 6:30 pm. Next gathering: **May 18**. - **Monday Afternoon Book Study** — Reading the epilogue of Norman Wirzba's _Love's Braided Dance: Hope in a Time of Crisis_ on **April 27, 1:30 pm**, Conference Room 111. Next book: Adam Hamilton's _The Walk: Five Essential Practices of the Christian Life_. - **Combined Church School Class** — Continental breakfast and conversation on **"What is Pentecost"** led by Pastor Caroline on Sunday, **May 17, 8:45 am**, Fellowship Hall. - **Pentecost Picnic** — **Sunday, May 24** after worship. Menu: hot dogs, chips, drinks, dessert. Hoping for outdoor weather! - **Race Against Poverty** — St. John's is a sponsor of the **16th Annual Race Against Poverty**, **Saturday, June 6**. Contact Pastor Caroline to join the official St. John's team. - **Mercersburg Association Spring Meeting** — **Sunday, May 3, 3–5 pm** at Grace UCC in Greencastle. Hybrid meeting with Zoom option. Thank you to **Lloyd Beers and Erin Hartman** for serving as delegates. - **Keystone Conference Annual Meeting** — **June 5–7, 2026** at Millersville University. Theme: _"Joy at the Table Together!"_ Two lay delegate slots available — contact Pastor Caroline. - **Join us for Life Talk** — What's on your mind? Don't want to share in front of the entire congregation? Or you don't think it really needs to be a prayer request? Grab your snack and coffee and meet in the parlor after services on Sunday mornings. Everyone is welcome. - **Summer Quarter First Fruits** — May, June, and July offerings will support **Race Against Poverty (RAP)**, **Maranatha Ministry**, and **United Way's Stuff the Bus**. - **May/June Upper Room** devotionals available at the Welcome Center. $1 small print / $2 large print suggested donation. Mailed copies available — contact the church office. --- ## Pastoral Notes & Cross-References ### NL Arc Tracking - **NL441 (last week):** Paul's Conversion ([[Acts 9#1]]–[[Acts 9#19]]) — the calling that leads to Paul's mission - **NL442 (today):** Paul and Silas at Philippi ([[Acts 16#16]]–[[Acts 16#34]]) — mission tested through unjust imprisonment - **NL443 (next week):** Paul's Sermon at Athens ([[Acts 17#16]]–[[Acts 17#31]]) — mission engaging Greco-Roman religious thought ### Cross-references for further study - **The Philippian church origin story:** [[Acts 16]] in full — Lydia's conversion ([[Acts 16#11]]–[[Acts 16#15]]), the slave-girl and jail ([[Acts 16#16]]–[[Acts 16#34]]), the magistrates' apology ([[Acts 16#35]]–[[Acts 16#40]]) - **Paul writing back to Philippi from later imprisonment:** [[Philippians 1]] — today's parallel reading - **Paul recalling Philippi suffering:** [[1 Thessalonians 2#2]] - **The NL accompanying text:** [[Luke 6#18]]–[[Luke 6#19]] (healing crowds), [[Luke 6#22]]–[[Luke 6#23]] (blessed when reviled — the framing for Paul and Silas's joy in chains) ### Worship-music research note > The praise song selection — _"Shout to the Lord"_ by **Darlene Zschech** — is the most recognizable Hillsong-origin congregational song in global circulation (1993, written before the Hillsong scandals broke). It pre-dates the contemporary Hillsong production aesthetic and is widely sung in mainline congregations including UCC contexts. Worth noting in the ongoing worship music vetting research as an example of a song whose CCLI-rights chain leads back to Hillsong but whose theology and lyric construction sit comfortably within Reformed/UCC theological norms. Pair with the closing hymn _How Can I Keep from Singing_ — the day frames "singing" both contemporarily and historically, and the contrast between the two could itself be a teaching opportunity in a future worship education moment. --- ## Personal Notes ### Pre-service reflections ### Post-service reflections > _(Notes for after listening to the recording / reflecting on the service. Prompt threads: Did the Sweet Honey / spirituals framing land for the congregation? How did the prophetic move — Standing Rock, civil rights — read for politically diverse hearers? Did the sermon's "we are Christ's hands and feet" closing connect with the morning's earlier "Shout to the Lord" praise song? What is it like to hear "Don't harm yourself, we're all here" preached aloud in a UCC sanctuary in 2026?)_ ### Follow-up items - **Confirm spelling/identity of Randy Jones** at Grinnell College — music educator and librarian, published a book on Negro spirituals in 2023. Worth tracking down for the worship vetting research bibliography. - **Acts 16 future preaching** — note Caroline's flag that the slave-girl encounter was set aside today; could become a future sermon. Womanist commentary worth pulling: Mitzi Smith, _Insights from African American Interpretation_ (Fortress); Demetrius Williams on Acts. - **Pastoral follow-up notes (priority order):** - **Hop Hopper** in Hershey post-kidney surgery, now with **MRSA infection** — significant; check in with **Allison** mid-week - **Jim Wood** post-fall in Chambersburg with **punctured lung** — air pocket monitoring; check on Mary Lynn for caregiver support - **John & Nina Whitman** transitioning to **Menno Haven** skilled care this week — pastoral visit before/during move; check on family supporters - **Virginia's friend** with throat cancer + tongue tumor — surgery Monday; follow up with Virginia Tuesday/Wednesday for outcome - **Virginia's family gathering** for father-in-law's 75th birthday — check in with Virginia after the weekend; consider whether ongoing support around family-of-origin LGBTQ+ dynamics for her trans/queer kids would be welcome - **Alan's coworker** at Hershey with brain tumor — Alan would appreciate a check-in - **Deb** (Alan's sister-in-law) — follow up on whether home today as hoped - **Jen** post-MRI / pain management referral — long road ahead with bulging discs - **Cheryl Sullenberger** continuing home recovery — Dwight pleased with progress - **Harold St. Clair** — return to Providence Place hoped for soon - **Joys to follow up on:** - **David's homecoming May 6th** — note in calendar, possibly card or visit - **Carrie & Kyle Kaufman's wedding** — Shanny attended; consider congregational acknowledgment - **Alahna Hodges' 13th birthday** — already honored in flowers; personal note from pastor - **October 3:** **Pumpkin Patch Tea** event (mentioned by Sue) — add to forward calendar - **Cross-reference to research thread:** _Eyes on the Prize_ / _Keep Your Hand on the Plow_ lineage is directly relevant to the worship music vetting compendium (Section on Black sacred music as theological text); add a cross-reference back-link. - **Caroline biographical note:** Family moved to **Grinnell, Iowa in 2000**; mother sang in the Grinnell Oratorio Society where she met **Randy Jones** at Grinnell College. Filed for personal context when discussing Caroline's musical influences. ### Joys & Concerns from Today's Service _Captured from the recording (~1:17:24–1:28:00). For personal pastoral and prayer use._ |#|Person sharing|Joy / Concern|Names mentioned|Pastoral note| |---|---|---|---|---| |1|**Judy Hodges** _(also today's lector)_|**Joy:** Her granddaughter **Alahna** turns 13 today; "I get to spend time with her. She's such a joy."|Alahna Hodges|Pastor responded with happy 13th birthday wishes; Alahna is also honored in today's flowers at the foot of the cross| |2|**Shanny**|**Joy:** Attended **Carrie Lester's** wedding yesterday — "some of you will remember Carrie, Fred, Lori, and Jared"; blessings on **Kyle and Carrie Kaufman**|Carrie Lester Kaufman, Kyle Kaufman; Carrie's family: Fred, Lori, Jared|Pastor: "Indeed rejoice in Carrie and Kyle's wedding… may their life together be a blessing to them and to others"| |3|**Virginia**|**Concern (1):** A friend going in for major surgery tomorrow — **throat cancer** with a **tumor affecting his tongue**; pray it goes okay, they get everything, and he can still speak afterwards; long procedure expected|(friend with throat cancer — name not given)|| |4|**Virginia**|**Concern (2):** Today is her **father-in-law's 75th birthday** celebration; some family members are supportive and open with **her kids being trans and queer**, but not everybody. Prayed _"for grace, and like, not to necessarily go mama bear on people. But yeah, so that, and that my kids don't get harmed from the interactions that they have, [and find] joys from the interactions."_|Virginia's children, father-in-law|**Pastoral note:** Caroline's public summary deliberately generalized to "the challenge of family dynamics" without naming the LGBTQ+ specifics — appropriate pastoral discretion in mixed-gathering prayer language. **For private pastoral follow-up:** check in with Virginia after this weekend's family gathering; consider whether ongoing support around family-of-origin LGBTQ+ dynamics would be welcome| |5|**Alan**|**Concern (1):** Sister-in-law **Deb** in the hospital with **extremely high blood sugar**; hopefully will get under control and home today|Deb (Alan's sister-in-law)|| |6|**Alan**|**Concern (2):** A coworker of **30+ years** is at **Hershey Medical Center with a brain tumor**|(coworker — name not given)|| |7|**Alan**|**Joy:** **David** discharged last Thursday after cardiac surgery; surgeon couldn't be more pleased; very limited restrictions; back to work; driving; **will be home the 6th of May**|David|Pastor: pray for continued healing; rejoicing in wonderful news| |8|**Jen**|**Concern:** Finally got an MRI of her back after ongoing issues — found **several bulging discs** and other issues; **referred to pain management**; pray for wisdom for the doctors as they work toward a treatment plan; ongoing pain "still… yuck"|Jen (herself)|**Note:** Earlier transcript transcribed "Jen" as "Janet" — corrected here| |9|**Sue**|**Joy:** Personal thanks to everyone involved in yesterday's **Blueberry Bliss Tea**; many helpers; lots of "blueberry-colored" tea attendees. **Funny story:** asked one helper to slice olives — _"Well, I could do surgery — I think I could do slicing olives. Thank you, **Doctor Azari**."_ Special thanks to **Lloyd** for "kicking up the dishwashing crew" — **he wore a black bow tie**. Hopes to share photos next Sunday.|Doctor Azari, Lloyd|**Save the date:** **October 3** for the **Pumpkin Patch Tea** (next event)| |10|**Pastor Caroline**|**Update/Joy:** **Harold St. Clair** in the hospital, making wonderful progress, hoping to return home to **Providence Place** soon; "his sense of humor is fully intact"|Harold St. Clair|| |11|**Pastor Caroline**|**Concern:** **Jim Wood** in the hospital here in Chambersburg after **a fall — punctured a lung**; carefully monitoring the air pocket created. _"At 94, he is just going with the flow, saying 'my mind is still good, my body less so.'"_ Thanks for **Mary Lynn** and others supporting him|Jim Wood, Mary Lynn|| |12|**Pastor Caroline**|**Update/Joy:** **Cheryl Sullenberger** recently had surgery; this time seems to be going very well; **Dwight** very pleased and reported she's making good progress as she recovers at home|Cheryl Sullenberger, Dwight|Pray for continued health and strength| |13|**Pastor Caroline**|**Concern:** **John and Nina Whitman** transitioning from one stage of life to another; both will be moving into **skilled care at Menno Haven** in the next week or so; "as long as they are close together, they are doing okay"; pray for their transition, strength, and family supporting them|John Whitman, Nina Whitman|**Note:** Transcript rendered "Menno Haven" as "Meow Haven" — corrected here| |14|**Pastor Caroline**|**Concern:** **Allison and Henry "Hop" Hopper** — Hop had **kidney surgery in Hershey earlier this week**; now has an **MRSA infection** — significant and serious; not his first go-round but never what you want to hear; pray for effective treatment and for them to come home sooner rather than later|Allison Hopper, Henry "Hop" Hopper|**Note:** Earlier transcript transcribed as "Henry Crawford" — corrected here to **Hopper**| ### Pastoral Prayer (Pastor Caroline, ~1:28:07) > "Holy and living one, you hear the prayers of our hearts and our lips, our praises and celebrations, our deep cares and concerns. We give thanks that you draw us together to be your church — truly, a community of people who care deeply about one another and our world. **Watch over us, O God; help us to be your people in word and indeed.** To show up for one another and encourage each other — to listen, to lead, and to love. Be with all those that we have named aloud, and be with us as we strive to follow you as best we are able. Grant us the wisdom and the courage we need for the living of these days. Help us to laugh, enable us to love. All this and so much more, we ask in Jesus' name, praying the prayer that he taught us to pray…" ### The Lord's Prayer (Debts version, recited corporately ~1:29:23) > Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. --- _Generated for the Obsidian vault at:_ `2. Areas/Sermon Notes/2026-04-26.md`